The level-editor tutorial for Grappling Hook is available:
Tutorial: How to Create Levels for Grappling Hook?
It explains everything you need to know, to create levels that use all features of Grappling Hook. You can even add your level with a screenshot and challenges to the game-menu like the original ones!
Please ask questions and give feedback in the forum.
I’m a student, not rich, without a second job, and without a publisher, but I love to create games.
So my project-budget for Grappling Hook was almost zero, but fortunately, there are some great freeware and open source projects.
I will present you every tool that I have used during the development of Grappling Hook.
Java
I already wrote an article about, how great Java is for game development and my opinion has not changed since then.
You can find the article here.
Eclipse
Eclipse is a great free IDE. It offers syntax-highlighting, code-completion, refactoring-tools, a debugger, Java-doc-generation, good search-tools, code-formatting, neat-project-overviews and a lot more.
I had to work with Visual Studio and I wished every day, that it would be at least half as good as Eclipse. With Visual Assist X things get a lot better, but you have to pay for it.
Good alternatives: NetBeans
jMonkeyEngine
The jMonkeyEngine is a general purpose engine written in Java. It is build on top of LWJGL and offers a scene-graph and many cool features, for example shaders, terrain, particles, shadows, many model formats .
Some features are missing like a good physics integration, but the community is working hard on it. The community is one of the best I have ever seen. They are active and very helpful.
Beside Grappling Hook, there are other commercial projects using the engine, like Mad Skills Motocross or Bang Howdy.
When you are looking for a free engine to develop a game, you should definitely evaluate the jMonkeyEngine.
Good alternatives: Unity, Panda3D, Ogre3D
continue reading…
The first draft of the tutorial for the level editor is available.
Some advanced sections are still missing.
Please don’t hesitate to ask questions about the level-editor.
I will answer them as soon as possible and update the tutorial.
Grappling Hook Version 1.06 is available, both demo and full-version.
When you are an owner of the full version, you can download the new version here.
Your savegames will be not affected by an update.
Progress with Level-Pack
As already announced eight additional levels for Grappling Hook will be released with the next update. That means the full version will contain 30 levels.
The first version of all new levels is finished. I’ve create nine, but will drop one of them, because it doesn’t meet my quality standards.
Some of the new levels are entirely non-linear, so you will be free to decide, what to do next.
The new levels also feature puzzles, where you have to use the Grappling Hook in entirely new ways. They are also harder than the other levels.
Polishing, testing, and improving the levels will take a few more days. Stay tuned!
This is a screenshot of one of the new levels:
New Review
The developers have done a great job of throwing out new challenges, with something new coming at you at all times. [..] the game does a wonderful job with the first-person point of view and creates a surprisingly immersive environment. Pair that with smart puzzles and plenty of fast action and you’ll stay grappling for a very long time!
Jay is Games
Please vote with some mushrooms for Grappling Hook, when you are already on the site.
Windows & Mac Version Available via GamersGate
You can buy Grappling Hook now in the GamersGate store. Some of you may prefer this.
GamersGate is a great company. The staff is helpful, responds quickly, and I really like them. They are one the most indie friendly online distributors.
I’m also in touch with some other distributors and hope to release Grappling Hook on their platforms within the next weeks.
Where have you bought games online?
What is your favorite online game store?
Some Windows users reported crashes or problems that were related to the sound-system. This is fixed now. Please uninstall the demo or full-version and install the new version, when you have experienced startup-crashes or were only able to play the game without sound.
Uninstalling the game will no affect your savegames. The new version does not include any other changes, than this fix.
You can get the new Windows demo here and the new full version for Windows here.
Thanks for your help Marc, Simon, and Tony.
Grappling Hook is available on Mac!
Both demo and full-version are available on Mac.
Every owner of a Grappling Hook copy can play the game on every supported platform.
When you own Grappling Hook for Windows and want to play it on your Mac, you can download the Mac version here.
Thank you Aaron, Heiko, Norman, Skye, Stephan, Tobias, and Tony for your help and advice!
Eight Free Additional Levels Soon
I’m working on a free level-pack for the full game. It will be released within the next two weeks and will include eight new, unique, and challenging levels.
Some of the new levels are entirely non-linear, so you will be free to decide, what to do next.
The new levels also feature puzzles, where you have to use the Grappling Hook in entirely new ways.
New Review
Bytejacker reviewed Grappling Hook in their latest episode:
Thank you Anthony and Jonathan!
Grappling Hook Version 1.05 is available, both demo and full-version.
When you are an owner of the full version, you can download the new version here.
Your savegames will be not affected by an update.
Changes Since Version 1.03:
UPDATE: There was a crashbug in hard-mode, which was introduced with version 1.05. A fixed version is already online.
LLCoolDave created several videos of his Grappling Hook speedruns and uploaded them on Youtube. This is one them:
There are two new reviews:
If [..] you love a challenge this is going to be fantastic for you!
Andy Yates – PC Games and Reviews
[..] “Grappling Hook” is a nicely done, beautiful, and incredibly difficult puzzler that will definitely sate the cravings of the hardcore gaming crowd [..]
The wall-tag-competition is over.
Congratulations to the three winners!
Thanks to the 38 participants!
I enjoyed reading the answer-emails.
This was one of my favorites: ^^
42
Yeah!! The legendary Grappling Hook!
Are you a Spider Monkey?I love you.
Sadly, the random-number-generator couldn’t be influenced by this.
